Cigarette- container.



J. LOTKA.

CIGARETTE CONTMNEIL APPLICATION FILED OCT. x0. 18]! Patented Oct. 1-5,1918..

5 vwewtoz To all whom it may concern: 7

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JOHN LoTKA,;,or DEMAREST, NEW JERSEY, "AssIeNoa'. BY-Mnsnn ASSIGNMENTS,

'ro ILLINOIS WAT H. CASECOMPANY, or ELGIN, .ILLINOIS, naoonronn'rroiv orILLINOIS.

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, Specification of Letters Patent. PatentedOct', 15, 191 8.

Original application filed November 15, 1915, Serial No. 61,500. Dividedand'this application filed October Be it known that I, JOHN Lornm'acitizen of the United States, and resident of Demarest, in the county ofBergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Cigarette-Containers, of which thefollowing is aspecification.

My invention relates to containers of the type which comprises twohinged lids and an inner member located between them, with means forkeeping such inner member in a central position (equidistant from thelids) when-the container or case is open. The obJect of'my lnventlon isto provide a very simple and compact construction of the above-indicatedcharacter, which can be manufactured at comparatively low cost.

My present application is a divisionof another application for LettersPatent of the United States filed by me November 15, 1915, Serial No.61,500, which application, in addition to the subject-matter of thepresent division, disclosesanother species of my invention and containsa claim directed specifically to said species, and a generic claim. Thesubject-matter of the present application relates to a constructionparticularly adapted for cigarette cases made of metal.

Reference is to be had to thevaccompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 isa vertical section showing one form of my invention and takensubstantiallyon line 11 of Fig.

2, and representing the case or container in the open position; Fig. 2is a vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1, but showing the container closed; Fig. 4c is a detailbottom view of the inner member shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3; and Fig. 5is a partial vertical sec tion illustrating another form of my presentinvention. For the sake 'of clearness, no cigarettes have been shown inFig. 5.

' The container illustrated comprises two 1 lids a, '6 (held in theclosed position, Fig. 3,

by a catch of any usual or approved construction, not shown), which arehinged together at a, and to their outer portions are secured at 0", d,in any suitable manner, as by hinges or pivots, :the outer ends of linksor connecting members a, d respectively. The inner ends of said linksare secured to the inner or central member or 10, 1917. 'Serial'110.195,?40.

- base which is situated between-the hinged lids, theparticul'ar way ofsecuring these nner linkends shown in'the drawings, consisting' informing tonguesor pins e on the r bottoni'e the-said base or innermember, and coiling one end portion of each-li'nk around thecorresponding pin, said coiled "portions 0* forming springs and theireX-V tremities-engaging said base orinner memflOBI', and tending to keep italways in a central "position, Figs. 1, 2, and 4:." Thi's'inner membermay be of anysuitable construction, "and if it is intended'to'form aholder for tworows of cigarettes J, as shown, it may comprise a sectionU-shapedin cross section and another section L-shaped in cross section,to form the partition 71, and the confining members 9, which latter arepreferably corrugated vertically as shown in Fig. 2 to form seats orpockets for the individual cigarettes. This arrangement will also causethe cigarettes of one row to project beyond those of the other row, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

WVhen the container is in the closed position (Fig. 3), the inner endsof the spring links 0, d are quiteclose to the bodies of the respectivelids a, b, and if the container is held vertical the entire inner memberwith the cigarettes held therein is virtually suspended by means of saidlinks. As the case or container is opened, the links 0, (i will assume"an inwardly-converging or V shaped position, as shown in Fig. 1, andwill keep the inner member, base, or holder in a central position, thatis to say, equidistant from the lids a, b, or at least approximatelyso.. The cigarettes are thus readily accessible and removable from thebase or holder individually. The spring direct connection with the hingea Further, the links may at all times remain within the respective lids,as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, thereby protecting the links by the walls orflanges of the lids, and also some what concealing the links even whenthe case is fully open, and thereby improving or between the flanges ofsaid lid, throughout the length of the links, and siniilarly,the link dwill at. all times remain within the lid Z2, or between its flanges.

'The construction shown in Fig. 5 differs from that of Figs. 1 to 4 onlyby the factthatthe inner ends of the links 0, (Z are simply formedintoeyes a to..fit around the pins 6, while separate coiled springs K are 7employed to perform the function of the coils 0* and thus give the linksthe character ofsp ring links. The springs K bear :with'one end againstthe inner. member, base,

-;or holder, and with the other fend against the respective link 0 ,ordyto impart elasticity. theretoq Only one of the springs K isshown inFig. 5, the other omitted from this view for the 'sake of clearness. Thesprings K may be omitted if desired. The operation of'the construcbase',or holder,

that by a out departing springbeing I tion shown in Fig. 5 issubstantially the same as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4, thesprings .Kihaving the same double functionas the coils of. j

As stated at the beginning of this specification, the constructionsshown herein are intended for cigarettes, it will be .OhVi0us suitablechoice of dimensions the container may be adapted to hold otherarticles, such asmatcheS, cigars, etc.

' Various modifications may bev made .withfrom the nature ofmy inventionas set forth in'the appended claim.

lclaim; if I In a cigarette ease or the like, a pair of hinged lids; .abase; a pair ofspring links connecting with and suspending the basebetween said lids.

ln testimony whereof, I have signedthis specification.

, .JOHN" LQTKA.

Copies of this patent may obtained forfive eents ea'ch, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, 7 vtmshington,'1). C. I V,

adapted to be made of metal throughout.

While the containers illustrated herein are

